Archery

[VroomVroom]

Anyway make their own arrows? or fletch them...?

 

[JRobyn]

I did. At least back when Port Orford cedar was plentiful and inexpensive. I made a nifty taper jig that fit a slot on the tablesaw and had brass tubing glued in slots cut in it at just the right angles for nock and field points. Ran the shafts up against a sanding disk in the tablesaw. Still have it. Also have a nifty 3-vane fletcher jig.

 

[VroomVroom]

Difficult to make a few wooden arrows. I've been shooting carbons lately. But no doubt, wooden look the nicest.

 

[UP Gus]

Yes ,lt is 54in. Draws and shoots very smooth and is super quiet. I use Gold Tip wood grain carbons that weigh 600 grains.

 

[bunyip]

Long time ago but used to shoot a Bear Alaskan, I think it was 60lbs, used 2018 alloy shafts.
Field shooting and used to hunt goats in outback NSW and SA, got a few rabbits and sliced a snake in half at about 150' which I attributed more to luck than skill.
Thought about taking it up again just for exercise but there are a lot of bows on the market now and I'm sure a lot of them are just cheap rubbish.
My first bow was a Shakespeare 45lb recurve which was hard work, compounds were in their infancy then and not many to choose from and the drop off was nothing like now, I think mine was about 30%.

 

[VroomVroom]

Bun yip, 54" is pretty short. How many pounds you say that bow was? I was wondering mostly due to grains per pound. The arrows I received with the bow are traditional only carbons. They are 9.1 Grains per Inch, at 30 inches long, or 273 grains. the insert is 14 gr, the knock I think is 12 gr. Add the feathers and arrow rap, plus 425 grain point and I believe I'm only about 434 or 443 or something. But I believe I'm drawing 53 lbs, so its only about 8.3 grains per pound. I wonder if I'm not shooting arrows too light. I'm ordering a scale so I can weigh them. also, I was going to order gold tip traditional carbons, look like wood also. And build some, cut to length as I like and fletch the colours I want. I'll try to make them 10 grains per pound of draw weight. But, all the gear I'm ordering, the one thing I don't think I am going to buy is the arrow saw! I think I'm going to lightly nip with the dremel and then sand flush with a G5 arrow squaring device to ensure the ends are flush.

 

[DrRod]

I was once on a team studying the Army's recreation programs. As part of this, we came across a nonprofit that helped people find recreation that fit their lifestyles and abilities. Apparently, people could greatly enrich their lives if they had a better grip of the options available to them. The one thing that came up time and time again in their research was archery. Most people never consider archery but if they are shown where they can do it they tend to really grab on to it. Even people with a wide variety of handicaps can participate in archery if they know its available and accessible. Its sort of the overlooked activity that's all around us.

 

[VroomVroom]

I have only just got back into it. I always remember liking archery as a kid. Then one Christmas I asked for a bow, at least I think I asked for it. Either way, my mischievous brother, who since passed away 25 years ago was looking around the house for santa clause sometime I'd say in late November, or early decemember. He found two fiberglass bows in the carboard backed clear plastic packaging. They were red, 25lb draw I thought, finger tab ( didn't know how to use that) and 3 arrows. I made a million bows before this out of saplings but none with great success. When he showed me santa clause came to the attic a month before xmas......every day after I had to go up and stair through that plastic wondering what it will be like to shoot that bow. I couldn't wait. Xmas morning, I don't think santa clause left the house more then half an hour when I when out to get that bow and quietly bring back to my room. Try opening that plastic package quietly without waking Santa's helpers....Pretty difficult. I got the bow out, strung it and had to shoot a real arrow. I went to the front door and being use to point 45 degrees from the horizon to get any range out of past arrows, I pointed skyward. When I let go I was astonished how fast and far the arrow went. across the yard and down over the 10 foot snow bank out of site. I lost my first arrow! At that time, you would not see arrows anywhere and pretty well assumed when those three arrows were lost, there would never be anymore. Although it was also around the same time that the local stores started to stock the cedar arrows in packages of 3 and so there were a million arrows of different spines, lengths shot out of that bow. Later in the spring I found that arrow, standing straight up in the ground after going through 8 or 10 feet of snow. That bow, with no knocking point was strung backwards over the years by friends, and shot millions of arrows over the years after. I believe my mother had a yard sale not more then 7 or 8 years ago when she got rid of it, though I told her over the phone not to. I eventually graduated to a compound or two, but the price of the arrows (aluminum) at the time prevented me from shooting them around as you'd lose them or break them up hitting the ground. ( No judo points back then.) I really wanted another the last few years to shoot around and maybe try for moose and ptarmigan when the time permits and purchased a traditional long bow I could shoot around stumping , use for ptarmigan and try for moose. I wouldn't mind a compound again also, however, I found with the compound your a little more disconnected from the arrow as your looking more at the sights while shooting. A little bit more technical also and just like the simplicity of the traditional once you get a tuned arrow. The only probably now is getting time and a place I can shoot it.

 

[Groo]

Old compound bow was shot, so got a crossbow. Crossbow was crap so I sold it and got a better crossbow. I usually only bow/crossbow hunt when plans dictate I won't be able to rifle hunt. Last year opening day landed on they day they opened me up in surgury, so I picked up some freezer meat before hand.

 

[VroomVroom]

Crossbows are illegal here. I've never shot one to be honest. I know lots of guys south of the border that use them. That's the Canadian border I mean.